- the act or an instance of appearing, as to the eye, before the public, etc
- the outward or visible aspect of a person or thing: her appearance was stunning, it has the appearance of powdered graphite
- an outward show; pretence: he gave an appearance of working hard
- keep up appearances ⇒ to maintain the public impression of wellbeing or normality
- put in an appearance, make an appearance ⇒ to come or attend briefly, as out of politeness
- to all appearances ⇒ to the extent that can easily be judged; apparently
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2024
ap•pear•ance /əˈpɪrəns/USA pronunciation
n.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024- [countable] the act or process of appearing.
- [uncountable] outward look;
looks: a person of noble appearance. - appearances, [plural] outward show, impressions, indications, or circumstances:[countable]By all appearances, they enjoyed themselves.
- Idioms put in an appearance, to attend a gathering for a short time.
ap•pear•ance
(ə pēr′əns),USA pronunciation n.
- the act or fact of appearing, as to the eye or mind or before the public:the unannounced appearance of dinner guests; the last appearance of Caruso inAïda;
her first appearance at a stockholders' meeting. - the state, condition, manner, or style in which a person or object appears;
outward look or aspect:a table of antique appearance; a man of noble appearance. - outward show or seeming;
semblance:to avoid the appearance of coveting an honor. - [Law.]the coming into court of either party to a suit or action.
- appearances, outward impressions, indications, or circumstances:By all appearances, he enjoyed himself.
- Philosophythe sensory, or phenomenal, aspect of existence to an observer.
- [Archaic.]an apparition.
- keep up appearances, to maintain a public impression of decorum, prosperity, etc., despite reverses, unfavorable conditions, etc.:They tried to keep up appearances after losing all their money.
- make an appearance, to come;
arrive:He didn't make an appearance until after midnight. - put in an appearance, to attend a gathering or meeting, esp. for a very short time:The author put in an appearance at the cocktail party on her way to dinner.
- Late Latin appārentia, neuter plural of Latin appārēns apparent
- Anglo-French, Old French
- 1350–1400; appear + -ance; replacing Middle English aparance
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged arrival, coming, advent.
- 2.See corresponding entry in Unabridged demeanor, presence. Appearance, aspect, guise refer to the way in which something outwardly presents itself to view. Appearance refers to the outward look:the shabby appearance of his car.Aspect refers to the appearance at some particular time or in special circumstances; it often has emotional implications, either ascribed to the object itself or felt by the beholder:In the dusk the forest had a terrifying aspect.Guise suggests a misleading appearance, assumed for an occasion or a purpose:under the guise of friendship.
- 3.See corresponding entry in Unabridged face, pretense.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
appearance /əˈpɪərəns/ n
'appearance' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
-ance
- -ate
- Abyssinian cat
- Advaita
- Afro
- BEM
- Batesian mimicry
- Bobbsey twins
- Bohemian
- Bohemianism
- Bradley
- abnormal
- action
- adjust
- adust
- advance
- aesthetic labour
- affect
- affectation
- affinity
- ageing
- air
- airy
- alligator
- androgynous
- animated
- antique
- antiquer
- apish
- apparel
- apparition
- appear
- appearance money
- arbor vitae
- arborization
- archaize
- arciform
- arcus senilis
- aristocratic
- arm
- artificial
- aspect
- attention
- attract
- attractive
- austere
- avalanche
- azoic
- baby face
- backbone